THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 31, 1995 TAG: 9512290269
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 19 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER
CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Long : 121 lines
A tongue-in-cheek preview of the year ahead of us. . . .
JANUARY
Former Wilson and Norfolk State star quarterback Aaron Sparrow confirms he will play for the Old Dominion Pirates in the Canadian Football League. Pirates trade present quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver to Toronto for $400,000, which will be used to modify end zones, remodel press box and update locker rooms at Foreman Field.
Southeastern coaches agree to shift indoor track meet to former Bradlees Department Store in Tower Mall after three-inch ice freeze covers Churchland track. Press box at Churchland Stadium, demolished by heavy evening snow, is replaced by sky boxes funded by weekly football game raffles held by boys soccer/girls basketball coach Duke Conrad.
FEBRUARY
Portsmouth Sports Club hears Dallas Cowboys coach Barry Switzer, the Jamboree headliner, reveal that reason he ran controversial fourth-down play against Philadelphia instead of punting from the 29-yard line was because punter was unavailable. He had gone to restroom at that time.
Churchland High holds first baseball practice and retired coach Carl Rhodes is among those turning out. ``It would have felt funny not being here after 23 years,'' said Rhodes.
MARCH
Wilson girls basketball coach Jenson Baker requests that pay be held up for game scorekeepers who don't come up with correct figures when his team plays on the road. When it is pointed out to Baker that scorekeepers get no pay, he drops his protest but says his team may only play games at home.
Booker T. Washington's Sherika Sadler, the first varsity girls wrestler in the area, is awarded the Eastern Region championship at 112 pounds when other wrestlers at that weight decline to compete. Six Wilson athletes picket the tournament and vow to be candidates for the Presidents's girls volleyball team since the boys have no volleyball team.
APRIL
ESPN3 is formed and new cable network signs pact to televise Portsmouth Invitational Tournament games into 23 countries. Mahlon Parker resigns as PIT chairman, saying he is opposed to ESPN demand to have NBA general managers as coaches of the PIT teams.
Portsmouth Invitational Tournament player selection committee co-chairmen Booty Baker and Yale Dolsey announce the tournament will be getting its first 8-foot player, Dexterous Stringer of Toccoa Falls College in Georgia.
MAY
Portsmouth's Richard ``Bullet'' Alexander is informed that prior to his umpiring baseball games at the 1996 Olympics he must take a foreign language course at Old Dominion University. Alexander has been assigned opening game between Germany and Italy.
Norcom's Missy Banks throws shot for girls high school national record distance of 51 feet. Greyhounds coach Vincent Pugh says shot will be placed in cornerstone of Norcom High School at opening dedication of the new school.
JUNE
Chesapeake Square merchants are upset at Portsmouth City Council's decision to put toll on Hodges Ferry bridge. Mayor Gloria Webb said funds will be used to upgrade tennis facilities in Portsmouth and Chesapeake shoppers will be invited to play on city's refurbished courts.
Virginia High School League announces end of six divisions based on school enrollment and teams will get optional choice of where they desire to play. Petition to end Division 5 and Division 6 separation was submitted by Western Branch after Bruins pointed out the third best team in Chesapeake had won a state championship and the second best team did not even qualify for playoffs. Western Branch elects to play in Division 6.
JULY
Chandler Harper, 82, regains amateur status and wins Eastern Amateur. ``I told my doctor I didn't need glasses to find my ball,'' said Harper. ``I can't hit it far enough to lose it anymore.''
School Board confirms new 2.0 rule will be enforced in upcoming school year and Portsmouth coaches elect to play eight-man football.
AUGUST
The new Hickory High School chooses school's nickname and will be known as the Hickory Dickery Docks with a mouse emblem.
City slow-pitch softball league teams protest Recreation Department's decision to speed up games with new two-ball, one-strike rule. Agreement is reached that it will not be necessary to circle the bases on home runs hit over fences. Games are reduced by 47 minutes and four games are scheduled in leagues each night instead of three.
SEPTEMBER
Contest is held to name new stadium at Norcom High School and Starboard is selected. Name was recommended because the stadium is on the right side of Portside, looking from the front.
Portsmouth Sports Club purchases Elks Lodge and says it will help support swimming programs in high schools at its pool. Discount membership in club also is offered all Elks as part of purchase agreement.
OCTOBER
Two 300 games are bowled in Lousy Bowlers Tenpin League at Pinboy's of Western Branch.
Kendra Allen rolls first 300 duckpin game to win $10,000 being offered by National Duckpin Bowling Congress but Allen declines the award because it would affect her college athletic eligibility as an amateur.
NOVEMBER
City signs contract to have Churchland Stadium domed after nine Trucker fans sue for mosquito bites and The Fox makes another appearance on field, holding up game with Wilson for two hours and 13 minutes.
Rudolph Freeman officiates his 10,000th high school football game and is presented the game ball after Norcom defeats Booker T. Washington to win Eastern District championship.
DECEMBER
Blizzard Iavarone, the most valuable player in the PIT, signs $7 million NBA contract with Vancouver and says he will give 10 per cent to the Portsmouth tournament because nobody had even heard of him when he played at GMI Engineering and Management Institute in Flint, Mich.
Portsmouth gets off-track betting site and City Council announces it will be located at former PoFolks Restaurant off Turnpike Road.
AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL! ILLUSTRATION: File staff photo by PAUL BATES
The press box at Churchland Stadium, ``demolished by heavy evening
snow, is replaced by sky boxes.''
by CNB